No Place Like Home
by Yumikou Ayasegawa
Summary: Rixva is an excorcist with a weapon like no other--hers is another human! Or so they thought. When they arrive at the Black Order, several things happen. What awaits them in the future? Rated for safety.
1. First Impressions

"Welcome to the Black Order, Rixva. And…you too, Magureatari."

"Thanks."

"Why are you so hesitant about welcoming me? Don't I—"

"SHUT UP, MAGU."

"Uh…right. Will you need two rooms?"

"Oh no. We ALWAYS sleep toge—"

"SHUT UP!"

"Erm…okay. One room or two?"

"One will be fine. He can sleep ON THE FLOOR."

"WHAT?! Rixie—"

Needless to say, the first impression we made on the Black Order was a …strange one, to say the least. Then again, this is the Black Order we're talking about.

The finder who had escorted us—that is Magureatari and myself, Rixva—was named Michael. It didn't seem to bother him that Magu wanted to sleep with me—and Magu's peacock-colored hair also seemed to have little effect.

"Here we are. There are two rooms in here, with two beds and two closets."

"Wonderful! But where will Rixie put her clothes?" Magu asked. I'm pretty sure he was joking, but Michael still gave me a smile that clearly said he wouldn't want to be me.

"I'll leave you to get comfortable," he said over his shoulder. "If you have any questions, you can probably find someone to answer them in the cafeteria—the big room we passed through earlier. I'll see you around." He sounded like he didn't really want to see us again, but by the time that registered in my brain he was already gone, and Magu and I were left with our thirteen suitcases (only two of which were mine).

"Why does MY anti-akuma weapon have to be a human being?" I thought to myself as Magu proceeded to claim the room with the bigger closet and the full vanity. Normally, I didn't mind having him around, but there had been so many chaotic changes around us recently that I couldn't help but get a little pissed once in a while.

Sighing, I sat on the bed that would be mine from now on. At least I had a window. For a while, I just stared out at the bare trees and listened to Magureatari sing while he unpacked his eleven suitcases. Without thinking, I started to hum along with the familiar tune. Magu had a nice voice, and even when he made me mad I liked to hear him sing. That was good, because he almost never stopped singing.

Magu's melodious voice trailed off as he started the shower in the bathroom we would share. I'd have to remember to beat him to it every day. I sighed again and decided to start unpacking. I'd probably be done before Magu got out of the shower—all I really had was clothes, aside from my violin which would be at my bedside.

Standing, I opened the closest suitcase. I started hanging my clothing on the abundant hangers in the closet that wasn't as big as the one Magu had claimed.

"This isn't mine," I mumbled to myself as I pulled out a blue coat with gold accents on the sides. Apparently, Magu had run out of room in his eleven suitcases and had moved his excess clothing into my two. I glared at the coat and stepped through the small hallway that connected our two rooms. I passed the bathroom door, behind which Magu could be heard singing again.

His room was already a mess. Half-emptied suitcases were everywhere—apparently he didn't have enough space to pack a single bag for toiletries. Or maybe he just had too many. Rolling my eyes, I found a spare hanger in the closet that was bigger than the one that would be mine from now on. Leaving the hanger in the bigger-than-mine closet, I returned to my own room to finish unpacking my (and some of Magu's) things.

_About an hour later…_

"Magu! Get out of the shower already!"

"Oh, hold your horses. I'm almost done!" I crossed my arms and leaned on the wall opposite the bathroom door. The shower clicked off. I heard Magu yank the towel off the rack. The door swung open and Magu walked past me…totally naked except for a his towel wrapped like a turban around his HEAD. I ignored him and entered the now-steamy room, but before I could set my toothbrush in the fancy holder Magu had brought there was a knock on the door. I sighed.

"Magu, I hope you're not still naked!" I called as I moved to the door that led to the outer hallway.

"Just give me two more seconds!" he yelled, frantically pulling on a dark green bathrobe. Ignoring him, I opened the door to find Michael waiting behind it.

"Ah," he said pleasantly. "I've come to escort you to Head-Officer Komui's office. Seems he'd like to…examine, is what he said, you and your weapon. Um…but I can give you a few minutes to get ready!" he added hastily, noticing Magu and blushing at his robe, which was open a bit too far.

"Sorry," I replied, slightly embarrassed. "We'll be right out." Closing the door, I turned to find Magu already peeling off the robe. "Hurry up, you!" I whispered. He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a "don't-tell-me-what-I-already-know" look. Half a minute later we were headed out the door, following Michael's lead through the hallways that were still unfamiliar.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, here we are! Chapter one. Yes, I know that the Black Order probably doesn't have showers in the rooms, considering that the original story takes place in th 19th century, but please excuse my offense this time around!


	2. Reminiscence

"This is most peculiar," the man with the flippy hair remarked. "I've never seen an anti-akuma weapon in the form of a human being, if that's what you indeed are. You're an external weapon, but you're not, at the same time…"

He then proceeded to examine Magureatari from top to bottom, and I mean that as literally as possible. I tried to stifle several laughs, very nearly unsuccessfully. Magu looked at me, his face the epitome of contempt. The strange man attempted to look under Magu's extravagant clothing. Magu leapt backward with a "Yelp!" and flew to my side.

"Rixie! Tell him to stop!" he cried. I laughed, this time out loud.

"Fascinating! He has all—as far as I could see—the characteristics of an authentic homo sapien! …Let's have Hevlaska take a look at you!"

"What?! What is 'Hevlaska?!' Rixie, don't let him take me!" Magu yelled, ducking behind me.

"Are you kidding? I want to watch this!" I replied, turning to grab him by the elbow.

"Won't hurt a bit, promise!" the odd man reassured with an evil glint in his eye.

Following the man—whom I presumed to be Head Officer Komui—'s lead we rounded several corners and finally halted on a platform suspended over about 30 feet of nothing, a hard-looking tile floor below.

"Hevlaska!" Komui called, his voice ringing in the nothing. An odd, white glow began to collect at the floor and gradually migrated toward us. To Magureatari's horror, Hevlaska turned out to be a giant collection of what seemed like some sort of ghostly ectoplasm substance.

"You called?" Hevlaska asked in a low, airy voice that sounded ancient.

"Hevlaska!" Komui exclaimed, striking an elaborate pose. "Examine these two, please!"

"What?! Me too?!" I cried as Hevlaska wrapped a tentacle-like arm around Magu and me. Both of us went perfectly still when the mass of white mist began to speak.

"This puzzles me," it practically whispered. "They share a single piece of innocence. Each of them harbors half of it." I had been told what innocence was and why it existed, and now I was thoroughly confused. Komui was fingering his non-existent facial hair.

"Then that means…" He stopped mid-sentence. I wanted to scream at him, but Hevlaska's cool touch kept me silent for some reason. "You can let them down now, Hevlaska," Komui said, still lost in thought. Gradually, Magu and I were lowered and gently set back on the suspended platform. Magu glided to my side, latching onto my arm and leaning his head on my shoulder. Aside from the difference in genders, Magu and I were very physically alike. Same height, roughly same weight, same eyes—although my hair didn't in the least resemble a peacock.

"Tell me how you two came together, along with your lives' stories before you came to the order," Komui demanded. An…interesting inquiry.

"Well—" I began, but he cut me off.

"FIRST! Let's go somewhere more comfortable!" And the off we were again, twisting and turning through a labyrinth that was, at the time, unsolvable. We stopped in front of a large wooden door adorned with brass knockers in the form of gargoyles.

"The family room!" Komui announced. The door swung open to reveal a humongous room covered in gigantic sofas and colossal overstuffed armchairs, with massive, abhorrent gargoyle statues in each corner. "Ah, how homey!" the Head Officer sighed. I was beginning to wonder if this man knew the meaning of the word "sanity."

Komui grabbed Magu by the elbow and hauled him over to one of the enormous couches. I followed them, watching Magu struggle against Komui's grip, saying things like "I can walk myself" and "You're pulling off my arm." We selected a particularly squishy-looking sofa. Magu laid horizontally, his head on my lap and his knees crooked, his feet dangling over the arm.

"NOW! Tell me your lives' stories, please! And if you need to cry, my shoulder is super-absorbent!" Komui exclaimed, patting his clothing. I only hoped I wouldn't have to take him up on that offer.

~*~

When I was young, I lived in a huge house. My parents were wealthy, but not stuck up about it; they gave every extra cent to local charities. I remember them well: their faces, the way they moved, they way they spoke. My mother was an elegant woman—not in they way she looked or spoke, but the way she could gain control without having to speak. The only time I saw her without a smile on her face was when my grandmother died. But then again, I didn't see her for very long after that.

My father was the ideal characterization of the word "gentleman." He was always courteous to everyone, and again always smiling. He always called me Rixie. He never got mad; he never yelled. Not in anger, at least.

That day, there were clouds in the sky that were simply aching to let their heavy burdens fall. Mother, Father, and I were in the living room listening to James, our new butler, play the piano and sing. There was a loud knock on the front door, but the person on the other side didn't wait for James to rise from the piano bench—instead he proceeded to kick the door off its hinges, sending it crashing through the wall opposite it. Mother and Father leapt up from their positions on the couch and stood in front of me. The man who came around the corner wore my uncle's face, but it was wrong. It was twisted into a demonic grin, and it was staring straight at me.

"Corbin?" my mother's timid voice was looking for a trace of her brother in that stranger. The man with my uncle's face began to laugh, and his body started shifting—into a giant rock-like structure hovering just above the ground. I didn't know it at the time, but this was the spirit of my deceased grandmother. My uncle had used the Millennium Earl's power to call her soul back, and she had taken his body and put on his face. She was what the Black Order calls and _akuma._

Before I knew it, my parents had been reduced to piles of ash on the floor in front of me. The monster turned to face me, readying its gargantuan guns for their next victim. Before it could shoot, a flash of green flew to my side. It looked like another person, at first, but then it changed into a peacock-colored tiger-like beast and leapt and the demon. There was a huge "BOOM," and when I looked up there was no trace of the monster or the tiger-animal. In their place was a boy with clouded blue eyes and peacock-colored hair.


	3. Explanations

"I've finally found you," he whispered, his eyes welling up with tears.

"W…what are you talking about?" I stuttered.

"I have no idea!" he exclaimed. "All I know is that I've been looking for _something_—something's been pulling me in this direction—for five years, and it's you!" He hugged me, and strangely his explanation didn't bother me. He felt nice, like he was supposed to be there.

"Miss Rixva!" …It was James. He hadn't been hit? …I was confused. His usual suit was torn, and underneath it was a tan cloak of some sort. He looked distraught. "I didn't come fast enough…I'm so sorry."

The green haired boy helped me to my feet.

"Finder," he said to James. "Go home. I'd like to keep her for a while." Turning back to me, he smiled. "Are you okay, honey?" When I didn't respond, he pulled the hair out of my face and embraced me. "There there, sweetheart—it'll be alright."

I shoved my face into his shoulder and cried.

"My name is Magureatari," the blue-eyed boy told me. "I'm eleven. You?"

"…Rixva. I'm seven." I looked at my feet. James had left quickly, after Magureatari had commanded him a second time. The house was empty, and we were in my room packing. Magureatari had said that we shouldn't linger long because people might start coming to investigate.

I picked up my violin. My father had taught me how to play it, until he found himself out of things to teach me and had to hire a professional. Standing, I laid the instrument carefully on the bed. I walked over to my closet and started putting my favorite clothes in suitcases. When I'd finished, there were three bags and my violin that we'd be taking with us. Magureatari picked up the two biggest bags.

"Ready?" he asked softly. I shook my head and turned back into the closet, pulling out a purple box. I shoved it into the bag that I'd be carrying. Magureatari cocked his head.

"Money," I replied to his silent inquiry. "I'm ready to go now."

And then we left, leaving behind the home—and the parents—I had loved. We'd been traveling for ten years before a finder named Toma brought us to the Black Order headquarters.

~*~

"Wait! You mean you're not even the same age?!" Komui shouted, gathering odd glances from the few others populating the enormous room.

"Nope," Magu answered sleepily from my lap. "I'm like the big brother she never had!"

"More like I wish I didn't have," I mumbled. He pouted.

"I love you too, Rixie." I grinned and petted his head.

"And you're not related either? You're sure you're not long lost twins…who are somehow different ages?" Komui continued. I raised an eyebrow. Sighing, Komui crossed his arms.

"Then here's my theory. When the Cube—you know about that, right? Well, when the Cube broke apart, one piece of innocence was split in two, and the halves ended up in two different areas of the globe. One found you, Magu-kun, and the other found you, Rixva. Because they were then able to move, the halves were drawn toward each other, hence Magu-kun had been looking for you! I assume that you were quite the little traveler as a youngster, Rixva?"

"I…don't remember," I said awkwardly.

"Well then I'm deciding that you were!" Komui exclaimed. Magureatari sat up.

"If Rixie has innocence inside her, then—"

"That means she has her own powers, too!" the Head Officer interjected enthusiastically, flailing his arms above his head like a madman. I was speechless.

"Magu-kun can transform, right? Rixva, I must say I'm quite curious as to what your abilities will be! Of course, both of you will be stronger while you're together. We'll have to set up a training day for you! In fact, I'll do that now! Toodles!" Komui pirouetted his way back toward the massive door that led to the hall. Magu looked at me, with the smallest of grins on his face.

"I'm quite curious as well," he whispered. I only gaped back at him, still caught in the shockwave of what Komui had told us.


	4. Nouvelle Amis

Back in our room, I was lying awake on the bed I would be sleeping in from now on. I heard Magu singing on the other end of the hallway, and closed my eyes listening to the song I recognized. After a few moments, I felt a hand on my forehead.

"You've got a little fever," whispered the hand's owner. "Probably form all this stress." Magu had slipped in while I had my eyes closed, and was now perched on the bedside table. Someone had said those exact same words once before, but I couldn't remember who or when.

"Just get some rest, honey. It'll probably be gone in the morning, and I'll stay with you tonight," he cooed softly. That's right—it was him who'd said that, a few days into our travels. We'd stayed in an inn for three nights because of my fever. I moved over to make room for him. He pulled up the covers and snuggled me close to him. This was a time when I was glad to have him with me.

~*~

The next day was a day that I wasn't ready for: the day in which I would meet the other residents of the Black Order. Now I'm not a xenophobe, I'm just not great with people—especially lots of them at once. Plus I was terrible with names.

When I woke up that morning Magu was still beside me, blue eyes open and glittering in the sun.

"Feeling better, sweetie?" I nodded. "Well, why don't you go get yourself clean? I'll pick out your clothes," he said, sitting up.

"No!" I yelled. Magu froze. "I…mean I can do that myself," I added. I really didn't want to look like some fairy princess. He smiled.

"Whatever you say, Rixie—just remember that all those people will be looking at you!" he said, pretending not to care. I shuddered. Before he left, I called to him.

"Wait…you can pick them out." I sighed, defeated. Embarrassed, I stalked into the bathroom. I wasn't pleased with his choices—they were far from comfortable, but at least I looked nice for my first appearance. We left for the cafeteria at 6:30 pm.

"_Bonjour, mademoiselle_!" I turned around. I was being greeted by a short, blond-haired blue-eyed boy…with cat ears? "_Je m'appelle Beaux_!"

"Uh…" Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. He giggled.

"Hello, my lady! I'm Beaux!" When he spoke English, only the faintest trace of his accent remained.

"Oh…hi! I'm…Rixie," I replied, blushing a little. He was adorable. He giggled again.

"You're cute!" he exclaimed, making my face go even redder. "I think I'll be your friend."

"Oh! Ye-…thanks?" I had no idea what to say in response, though he didn't seem to mind. One of his cat ears flicked downward and the other swiveled toward me. He just kept giggling.

"Come with me! I'd like to introduce you to some people!" The blond boy grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the crowds of people over to a man whose head stuck about a foot above everyone else's.

"_Frère_!" Beaux called up to him. The short boy only came to about halfway up the other man's chest. The tall man looked down at Beaux—and he really had to look down—and grinned as he enveloped the boy in a huge bear hug.

"Who's this my little brother has dragged along?" the tall man—who I now knew was Beaux's brother—inquired. His accent was stronger than Beaux's. Before I could open my mouth to respond—or even remember how to open my mouth at all—Beaux answered him.

"This is Rixie, the new exorcist!" he shouted, getting excited. "Rixie, this is Meyukie, _mon frère aînè_—my older brother," he added, giggling. "Well, technically he'd be my step-brother, but I don't much care for technicalities. _Père_ was on a business trip in Paris when he met _Mère_—Meyukie's mother! I was four and he was seven."

I had no idea why these people I had just met were telling me their family story, but they were looking at me expecting a response.

"I…I'm an orphan," was all I could think of to say.

"Oh, _pauvre fille_!" Beaux cried. "From now on, Meyukie and I will be your new _famille_!" I blushed, not being accustomed to attention like this from anyone but Magu.

"So…" I started speaking to fill the awkwardness I felt. "How…did you get the name Meyukie? It doesn't sound very French to me." Meyukie chuckled—a deep, throaty laugh very unlike his brother's feminine giggle.

"Our mother is a little… eccentric," he replied, patting Beaux on the head. "I think that's where this one gets it."

"Who's odd?" Speak of the devil; Magureatari had migrated next to me, having ended his conversation with an odd-looking blue blob.

"Ah, this is Magureatari, my…companion…" I didn't know what to call him anymore.

"So you're both exorcists? _Que merveilleux_! To have someone you know with you," Beaux said happily, scratching at one of his cat ears. "Most people who come here don't get to bring a friend. I guess we were lucky! We're so alike!" He was giggling again, and I almost couldn't handle how adorable he was.

"My, you're adorable!" I was almost afraid that I had accidentally spoken my thoughts out loud when I realized that that was ridiculous and that it had been Magu who voiced them.

"_Merci, monsieur_!" Beaux replied. "You're rather _joli_ yourself!" Both of them grinned. They would be getting along _très bien_ in the future.

"Lady Jane!" Meyukie shouted. It was difficult to tell who he had shouted to in the crowds, but the head that looked our way belonged to a tall (not as tall as Meyukie) woman with dark brown hair and huge green eyes. Meyukie introduced her as she came nearer.

"Lady Jane, this is Rixva and Magureatari. They're new here," he said. She smiled at me.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both." Her British accent and the way she formed her words made her sound like nobility. I assumed that was why Meyukie had called her "lady," although it may also have had to do with the fact that she was so strikingly lovely. Or that she was kind, and spoke softly, as opposed to Meyukie's loud, heavy rumble, or Beaux's sanguine twitter. The more I talked to the three of them, the more I found myself liking them. That night, I'd made more friends that I had made in ten years of traveling.

"Miss Rixva?" asked an incredulous voice behind me. I turned around to find a face I'd never expected to see again. "Miss Rixva, it is you! Oh, no one had told me you'd finally been found!" It was James, the finder who'd been my family's butler all those years ago. "Thank goodness you're alright!" he exclaimed.

I don't know why I hadn't expected to see him. I knew he was a member of the Black Order—I'd just never made the connection that he'd actually BE here, and I was shocked by that nostalgic face. He smiled at me and said,

"It's nice to see you've finally come home." He then proceeded to explain what had happened ten years ago. He'd gone to the finder's base in the next city and explained the situation to his supervisor. He'd believed that Magureatari would resist being brought along—Magu had said so himself, that he'd wanted to keep me for a while. When James had returned to our house, he and his backup had found us already gone. He said that they followed our trail for almost two years before losing us. Apparently, Toma had found us by pure coincidence, in an old-fashioned inn in New York City.

James told me about how sorry he was that he hadn't been able to do anything. He said that if he'd revealed himself sooner, maybe they would have been okay. He always had liked to talk, and kept saying things about how glad he was that I was safe and oh, how much I'd changed.

By the time James and I had finished our conversation, most of the people who had previously inhabited the cafeteria had left. Beaux and Magu had moved to a table where they now sat playing cards. Meyukie and Lady Jane were talking and laughing where they'd been before. It was late, and I was tired. I walked over to where Beaux and Magu sat playing and singing.

"I think I'll be going to bed now," I said. They looked up at me and smiled simultaneously.

"I'll be there soon," Magu replied. Beaux giggled.

"_Bonne nuit, mademoiselle_!" he chirped. I smiled.

"_Bonne nuit, monsieur_."

* * *

**A/N:** I do not actually speak French. Please let me know if I've made any errors :)

I'm so happy I got to use Beaux in a story! He was one of those characters that I designed and never used--one of my favorites. I'm so glad that he's made his debut! And yes, I know that Beaux is not an actual French name. :)


	5. Enters: Allen Walker

Chapter 4: Enters: Allen Walker

In comparison to the day of my introduction, the nest few days passed with relative normality. Magu discovered that Beaux was about as fond of singing as himself, and the two could usually be found swapping songs in the cafeteria. I'll admit, they sounded nice together. Meyukie, I learned, was actually quite a talker. Apparently, he and his brother liked to play practical jokes on just about everyone. Meyukie told me about his favorite "incident:" when Head Officer Komui's favorite mug turned up with a mustache and goatee.

On our fourth day at the Black Order Headquarters, Magureatari and I were called to Komui's office immediately after lunch. Upon our arrival, the flippy-haired man emerged from a cave of paperwork and started marching toward us with his arms thrown in front of him. Like a zombie.

"Um…Head Officer?" I asked carefully. He continued his zombie march toward us, throwing a few soft moans every other step or so. When he'd reached the door (where Magu and I were still standing), he placed his hands—no, more like plopped his hands—on my shoulders and halted his face a mere inch or so away from my own.

"Eh…hello?"

"Mission," he moaned. His breath smelled like sleep and stale coffee. "Follow me. This way!" he commanded, resuming his previous step out the door and to the left. Magu and I started after him, but after a moment or two, the Head Officer stopped us.

"No!" he exclaimed. "_This_ way!" He then proceeded to pull Magu's arms out in front of him, duck behind the frightened man, and push him gently down the hall from behind. "Great! Now just keep your legs straight while you walk!"

Magu looked at me over his shoulder and mouthed the words "HELP ME!" Trying to stifle laughter, I followed the comical pair until they came to a stop in front of a door that looked similar to that of Komui's office. I could have sworn I saw a guy with a long black ponytail roll his eyes at us on the way there, but he was gone when I turned to look.

Inside the room was a long couch that lined all four walls, a desk in front of the far wall. On the couch facing the door was a smiling boy who would've looked fifteen—if not for his snow-white hair. Komui proceeded to introduce us.

"Rixva and Maa-chan, meet your mission mate! Allen Walker!" I snickered. Magu raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. The boy named Allen stood to greet us.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said in an almost feminine voice. Almost.

"Ooh, likewise, dear!" Magu sang, gliding to the boy's side. "Aren't you a cute one!" he exclaimed, examining the poor and confused Allen. I sighed.

"You'll get to be the VERY BEST OF FRIENDS!" Komui cried, joining Magu at Allen's shoulder and placing one hand on the white-haired boy's head. Allen looked about ready to spontaneously combust. Poor kid.

"Moving on!" Komui announced, louder than necessary. "Your! Mission! Is! In! GREECE!" After each word, the strange man struck a different, elaborate pose that seemed to act as some sort of radical punctuation mark. "You will be escorted by the finder Aison," he continued in a much calmer tone. "We have reason to believe that there is an innocence fragment somewhere in the suburbs of Athens. It's not a terribly difficult task, but it's a great chance to get some training experience under your belts, newbies! Just to see what happens in a life-threatening situation~~!" sang Komui. "That's all for today! You leave first thing in the morning!" he exclaimed, skipping out the door.

"Alright, Mui-san," Magu called calmly after him. The Head-Officer paused.

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

**A-N: **Sorry! Jeevas, I don't know why this took so long

. . .Actually, I do. It's because I'm lazy. I'm lazy, and writer's block is not my friend.

Sorry! This is short. . . I know what you readers [all four of you] are thinking! You're thinking "NO! All that waiting for a tease like this! How dare you! You fiend! FIEND!" My reply: "Ah! I'm sorry! I'm weeping! I'm sorry!"

You can expect something longer soon for the next chapter. I'm sorry! Don't harm me! It's my birthday today!


End file.
